Imitation brick siding assembly



y 1934- J. A. KLIMSZA IMITATION BRICK SIDING ASSEMBLY Filed Jan. 25. 1932 A TTORNE Y.

Patented May 15, 1934 UNETED STATES PATENT? oFF1cE Application January 25,

5 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in imitation brick siding assemblies for buildings, and consists in the provision of vertically stepped siding pieces adapted to be secured to a building in overlapping relation to one another throughout the height of a building, in combination with bottom backing strips which are also vertically stepped and extend around the bottom of the structure behind the bottom row of siding pieces.

Another object of the invention is to provide siding pieces consisting of a plurality of progressively stepped portions arranged vertically overlapping relation, wherein: The lower and outwardly projecting portions constitute the exposed parts or facings; the intermediate portions each form a backing for parts of the lower portions or facings of two other siding pieces positioned next above it and in overlapping relation thereto; and the upper portions or aprons, which are provided with openings therethrough for the passage of nails for securing these siding pieces to the wall of a building, act as stops to prevent the passage of moisture which might otherwise occur between the joints formed at the lower extremities of adjacent lateral margins of contiguous backing portions in front of them, since, in order to leave an imitation mortar line between the lower extremity of one facing portion and the upper extremity of the facing portion immediately beneath it, these facings are vertically spaced from one another and the lower extremities: of the backings are therefore exposed.

A further object of the invention is to provide bottom backing pieces each consisting of two stepped portions, the lower portions forming backing behind the bottom row of siding pieces, and the upper portions forming the aprons and accomplishing the same purpose as the aprons of the siding pieces.

Another object of the invention is to provide both siding and bottom backing pieces'which, intermediately of their length are flexedusually at 90so that the siding may be continued around the corners of a building in such a manner that it very closely resembles brickwork. 1 A further object of the invention isto provide the siding pieces in such lengths that the lower portion or facing of each piece represents more than one brick, and to form vertical slots extending from their lower margins in these facings to denote mortar lines, and thereby exposing portions of the backings behind the said slots.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an imitation brick siding assembly which is relatively cheap to manufacture and easy to 1932, Serial No. 588,610

install; and which, when applied to a building, presents an appearance so similar to real brick siding that it may be readily mistaken therefor by a casual observer.

With these and other objects and advantages in view which will become apparent as the speciflcation proceeds, the invention is hereinafter more fully described with the aid of the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 illustrates a portion of a wall to which the siding has been applied.

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 shows a plan view of a flexed piece of siding which I use at corners of buildings, and

Figure 4 is a perspective View of a corner of a' building faced with the siding.

Figure 5 shows a plan View of a piece of a flexed bottom strip.

Figure 6 is an enlarged view showing several pieces of my siding when assembled against a Wall.

Referring to the drawing, 1 designates a portion of a wall of a building resting on a sill 2. On the latter and against the wall 1 I first arrange a plurality of bottom strips 3 the outer faces of which are vertically stepped so that their bottom portions or backings 3a project further outwardly than their upper portions or aprons 3b, while their inner vertical walls rest against the building and are continuous throughout their full height and substantially parallel with their outer faces. It will also be noted that the steps or shoulders extending from the upper extremities of the bottom portions or backings 3a to the lower extremities of the upper portions or aprons 317 are horizontal, that is disposed at right angles to the outer and inner faces of the said portions 3a and 3b, to form receiving flanges to support cooperating portions of siding pieces 4 positively against downward movement in a manner hereinafter described. Through the aprons 3b openings are formed at intervals to permit the passage of nails 30!, by which the strips are secured to the side of the building.

At the corners of the building I utilize corner strips 33 as shown in plan in Figure 5, which are flexed intermediately of their length to fit the corner of the building but are otherwise exactly similar to the strips 3. I

The siding pieces 4 each consist of three progressively and vertically stepped portions 411, 4b and 4c. The lower and outwardly projecting portions la are the facings, the intermediate portions 42) are the backings, and the upper inwardly projecting portions are hereinafter referred to as the aprons. It will also be noted that whereas the bottom strips 3 are only stepped on their outer faces the siding pieces 4 are stepped on both their outer and inner faces. It will also be noted that both the upper and the lower sides of the steps or shoulders connecting the facings 4a with the backings 4b are horizontal, that is disposed at right angles to the inner and outer faces of the said portions 4a and 4b; and that the upper and lower sides of the steps connecting the backings 4b with the aprons 4c are parallel with the upper and lower sides of the first named steps.

When the bottom strips 3 are in position I proceed with the bottom row of siding pieces 4. The undersides of their facings 4a lie contiguous with the top of the sill 2, and are disposed immediately in front of the backings 3a of the bottom strips 3, while the horizontal shoulders formed on the inner sides of the siding pieces 4 at the stepped junctions of the facings 4a and the backings 42) rest upon the corresponding horizontal shoulders formed at the stepped junctions of the backings 3a of the bottom strips 3 with their aprons 322. The backings 4b of this bottom row of siding pieces 4 extend above the tops of the aprons 3b,

so that the inner shoulders formed at the stepped junctions of the backings 4b with the aprons 4c are spaced above the top of the bottom strips 3. Through the aprons 4c of all the siding pieces 4 apertures 4d are formed for the passage of nails 4e by which these aprons are secured to the building 1 contiguous to which their inner vertical faces lie.

After the bottom row of siding pieces 4, or a portion of the said row, has been applied the row immediately above it is secured in place, and so on progressively until the whole surface of the building has been covered.

The horizontal shoulder formed on the outer side of each siding piece 4 at the stepped junction of its apron 40 with its backing 4b supports the inner shoulder formed at the stepped junction of the facing 4a with the backing 4b of the siding piece above it, and the lower margins of the facings 4a are spaced above the shoulders formed outwardly at the stepped junctions of the facings 4a and backings 4b of the siding pieces beneath them in order to form horizontal recesses 5 which present the appearance of horizontal mortar lines.

The width of the siding pieces 4a is less than the width of the backings 4b and aprons 40 which latter are of uniform width. As a result opposed marginal recesses 4f occur at the adjacent extremities of each pair of facings 4a which present the appearance of vertical mortar lines and expose portions of the backings 4b behind them. I usually prefer to make each siding piece 4 of such width that its facing 4a covers a greater distance than would be covered by a brick, and. in order that these facings may present the appearance of bricks I form vertical slots 6 therethrough intermediately of their length which extend upwardly from their lower margins for their full height. These slots then present the appearance of vertical mortar lines.

The aprons 4c insure the siding, when installed, being weatherproof as they lie behind the exposed lower extremities of the vertical margins of the backings 4b, which, are exposed to form the horizontal mortar lines. In order to present the appearance of brick each row of siding pieces 4 is laterally staggered relative to the row immediately above and below it, so that the vertical margins of each facing 40 and backing 41) has behind it an uninterrupted portion of the backing 4b and apron 4c of the siding piece which it overlaps. Thus there is no possibility of moisture striking directly through the joints.

The corner siding pieces 44 are exactly similar to the pieces 4 already described except that they are flexed intermediately of their length to fit around the corners of the building.

From the foregoing it is believed that the construction and application of my siding assembly will be readily understood. I prefer to make the pieces and strips of suitable composition such as asbestos and cement pressed to shape. The facings 4a are usually colored to resemble either red or yellow brick and the remaining portions of the siding pieces and the bottom strips are made black so that their exposed portions will present the appearance of black mortar.

While in the foregoing the preferred embodiment of the invention has been described and shown, it is understood that the construction and assembly is susceptible to such alterations and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A rigid siding piece consisting of three parallel portions arranged one above the other in overlapping and progressively stepped relationship, said portions having their upper and lower edge faces disposed at right angles to their parallel faces, the upper edge face of one of said portions being adapted to receive and form a positive support against downward movement for the lower edge face of a portion of another siding piece arranged in overlying relation to the first piece.

2. A rigid siding piece consisting of three paral lel portions arranged one above the other in overlapping and progressively stepped relationship, all of said portions being rectangular in cross section and elevation, said portions having their upper and lower edge faces disposed at right angles to their parallel faces, the upper edge face of one of said portions being adapted to receive and iio iis

form a positive support against downward move- I ment for the lower edge face of a portion of another siding piece arranged in overlying relation to the first piece.

3. A rigid siding piece consisting of three parallel portions arranged one above the other in overlapping and progressively stepped relationship, said portions having their upper and lower edge faces disposed at right angles to their parallel faces, the upper edge face of one of said portions being adapted to receive and form a positive support against downward movement for the lower edge face of a portion of another siding piece arranged in overlying relation to the first piece, the lower portion and the lower overlapping extremity of the intermediate portion having a vertical slot formed therethrough to represent a vertical mortar line so that said slot exposes a part of both the intermediate and upper portions of the siding piece that it overlies.

4. A rigid siding piece consisting of three parallel portions arranged one above the other in overlapping and progressively stepped relationship, all of said portions being rectangular in cross section and elevation, the upper edge faces of the intermediate and lower portions and the lower edge face of the intermediate portion being disposed at right angles to said parallel portions, the upper portion being adapted to rest against a wall throughout its entire height, the upper edge face of the intermediate portion being adapted to positively support the lower edge face of the intermediate portion of another and overlying siding piece, and the lower edge face of the other siding piece being spaced above the upper edge face of the lower portion of the first piece to form a horizontal mortar line between the two adjacent lower portions.

5. A siding assembly comprising a plurality of rigid bottom strips adapted to extend around the base of a wall, said strips having flat vertical inner faces adapted to rest against said wall throughout their entire height and to be secured thereto, the outer faces of said strips being parallel with the said inner faces but stepped horizon- JOHN A. KLIMSZA. 

